THE WEST FRONT

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 5000, 15 October 1918, Page 5

THE WEST FRONT

RETREAT’S TERROR. HUNS’ POSITION DANGEROUS. RETREAT MAY BECOME A ROUT Australian and N.Z. Cable A»“oci»ijon. LONDON. Oct. 14. The British are fighting in the streets of Douai. Sir Douglas Haig reports local, fighting along the line of the Selle river between Le Gateau and Solesmes. We have steadily progressed north of Solesmes towards the Selle valley. We drove out enemy rearguards at St. Vaust, St. Aubert, Vil-lers-on-CaucJiies and Avesnes le See. More northward we cleared the west hank of the Sensee canal between Arleux and Corbehem, both of which are in our possession. We are closely approaching the line of the canal west of Douai. East of Lens we captured Moritigny, Harnes and Annay. 'Wo indicted numerous casualties on the German rearguards, and took prisoners in sharp local fighting on. the whole of this front, A report from Amsterdam says that it is currently reported thai, Ludendprff has tendered his resignation. Reuter’s Telegrams. Hava’s Agency reports that General von Maritz has been deprived of his command owing to bis defeat at Cambrai. Australian and N.Z Cable Association and Reuter's. (Received Oct. 15., 1.10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 13, 5 p.m. A French communique states: —We captured La Fere and crossed the railway from La Fere towards Laon. ip. tlie neighborhood of Danizy and Versigny to tlie north-east. The villages of the Serrc are aflame. In St. Goljain massif we occupied St. Nico-las-aux-Bois and Suzy. The Italian troops progressed north of the Ailette. Further east we hold thejine of Aizelle, Berrieux, and Annfontain. We cleared the last points of resistance in the bend of the Aisne. Australian and N.Z. Association. LONDON, Oct, 13. Mr. Perris says: It is inaccurate to say that the Germans on tlie French front are dislocated, hut their position is dangerous, and we may see tlie retreat become a rout in some sectors. Tlie German persistence in lidding Laon is most adventurous, but undoubtedly much material has been removed. 'The enemy lias crowded half a million men with impedimenta on the few main roads between the Sambre and the Argo line. Mr. Philip Gibbs says :—Airmen report that the roads south of Le Gateau are surging with traffic and transport struggling to. get- clear. The British advance amid streams of deported French civilians. Frequently the cross roads are hlockeo. Confusion and disorder reign. Some of our aviators are doing their best to increase the confusion and the fears of the retreating enemy. The Germans for the first time in this war know the retreat’s terror, with the enemy hard on their heels. That- terror will .be on them to tho end. Tanks have gone after them to the amazement of the villagers. The enemy hoped to make the roads impassable, but we were too quick. The enemy was unable to mine the crossroads according to plan. It must not be forgotten that we are paying the price of victory. Our patrols still face machine guns, field guns and some deadly risks and frightful fighting. We must not forget the splendid sacrifices of the officers and men in trudging through shells and bullets towards victory. Y r et the Germans have the spirit of defeat. They think onlv of peace. The Kaiser’s offer has thrown them off their mental balance, and demoralisation has grown.

AT THE GATES OF DOUAL LAOX EXPECTED TO FALL. ENEMY RETREATIXG IX .GOOD ORDER. Australian and N.Z. Cab l '' Association and Reuter c (Received October 15. 1.10 a.mA LONDON, October 13. Our troops ar 0 at the gates of Douai. They have captured the suburbs. One the west bank of. the Sen see Canal the Allies occupy practically the whole of St. Gobain massif. The French hare reached the outskirts of Laon. which it is expected will fall at any moment. We advanced another six or seven miles to-day in this region. The enemy has practically evacuated the Oise salient and the Allies have emerged into open country in the neighborhood of the source of the Louehey river. The, enemy is carrying out his retirement towards the frontier in good order, according to a wellthought out plan. Ihe retreat is no debacle. The morale hah deteriorated in one or two sectors but there is no widespread deterioration. ' "When the present retreat is earned out the (memy will be in an extremely difficult position with no salients and with prospects of open warfare. The peace negotiations have not affected the enemy's morale. Political considerations other thaii nnntai> necessity, are responsible tor t.ie peace overtures. . Router’s correspondent at the ish headquarters, writing on the evening of October 13, says: Betveea Le Cateau and St. Yaast the Germans in strength are fighting hard. AYe renewed th c attack here yesterdav The severest fighting oeeuued nlon'a the railway embankment from Montoy to Neuvilly. Large lieu eneniv forces fiercely counter-attac ved, supported by tanks the vhole morning. By the afternoon the British tenacity had triumphed and we are pursuing the. Germans eastward.

LATEST NEWS. FRENCH ENTER. LAON WITHOUT FIGHTING. KEYSTONE OF HUN DEFENCES IN FRANCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter’s. (Received Oct. 14. 11 p.m.)' LONDON, Oct, 13. Reuter’s correspondent at French headquarters, writing on the evening of the 13th, says: Further Ftenclt progress is.. reported between the Oise amf the Aisne.- . In thq Champagne, south-east, or Laon, we reached the lino running straight from Orteeval to Ainifontaine. In the centre we occupied a strong position north of the AisneWe are bridging the river under occasional heavy artillerying. Farther east in the great northward bend of the Aisne we hold the southern bank of the river to \ Oliviers. « North of this line numerous fires indicate that the enemy docs not intend to hold for long his new natural line along the Serre river. Th e French entered Laon without fighting, thus reconquering a great group of natural obstacles which for years had formed the keystone of the German defence ini France. Australian and N.Z. Oabl® Association. (Received Oct. 15, 1.20 a.m.) LONDON. Oct, 14. Mr. Philip Gibbs gives a vivid account of the forcing of tlie river Selle in which the New Zealanders by. a brilliant,. exploit, captured the river front at Cohere. Tlie Germans held out for two days, being ordered to hold out to the death.

THE FLANDERS COAST.

HUNS’ STEADY RETIREMENT. COASTAL POPULATION WILDLY EXCITED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, LONDON, October 13. ! Ji 0 Germans have practically abandoned the Flanders coast. They nave removed a large number ~-f guns, and have sunk more ships at the entrance to Zcczrugge -urd Ostemi to hinder sea operations. 'i’be Times. *■*' (Received October 14 11 pm ) . 11.AQ UE, October id. It is reported that all Os tend gmns nave been removed. The coastal population is ,wildly excited ’ 'J n-/ are, evacuating the districts- within, ialign of artillery and flocking to the interior, causing congestion and panic and interference with the lines of communication. All news, including President Wilson’s replv, hs3 been stopped on the frontier. “ENZEDS” AT WORK. FIGHTING AT* LESDAIN. KILLING BOCHES IN THE STREETS. (By Cable.) (From Official War Correspondent.) October 8. An unusual quiet reigned on cur front last night. At- intervals a. Doehe shell whistled drearily overhead and crashed into an adjacent village. 'lha night was cold arid wet. . With the first glimmer of dawn in the leaden east the whole scene changed, and the front tor miles became suddenly ablaze with flashing guns, while the drumfire of barrage rolled across the vallevs and hills. It was 4.30 when the New Zealanders moved forward beyond St. Quentin Canal to attack on Lesdain and Esnos, two villages beyond Cr-> vacoeur, which had already fallen :o them. Otago and Canterbury troops were on the right, and the Rifles :;;i the left. Early in the advance opposition, mostly machine-gun and rifle fire, was met in front of Lesdain. at a beet-crushing factory, and from the village itself, but tills was soon overcome, and our troops were killing the Bodies in the street- and on either side. Several prisoners were taken here. Pressing on with their usual determination, our men crossed a tramway, and ahead met with more opposition in a sunken road, where there were several deep German dug-outs. As the morning wore on the weather improved, and the battlefield presented a most wonderful sight. Along the crest of the ridge ahead, smoke shells, mingling with darker bursts of high explosive, rose in columns straight in the air. and at intervals the play of sunlight on tins smoking line was most- picturesqu-. Our men could he seen about Sc ranvillers on the left, and ahead of Lesdain, making towards the lines cf counter-attack. A ’plane signalled the oncoming of the enemy on our left. Big artillery opened on them, and the attack faded away. Presently we could se-3 black bursts of Boclie shells m Seianvillers, indicating that it had fallen to tlie division on our left, Prisoners began to come down in. droves, and the New Zealand cag-3 was crowded with men and officers cf the 38th, 200th and the Ist and oTT Bavarian Divisions. Non-commis-sioned officers and men admitted osfeat, and added that Germany was done. At 9.30 explosions of a great German dump behind Seranvillers adds I to the. picturesqueness of the scene. In Lesdain some men of the Rifl---' had stiffish fighting, but the lionets of the fight were entirely with them. They killed several and capture 1 many, including a battle commanc-r. Our Lewis gunners shot from their hips, and there was a of rifle work. Two hundred and fifty prisoners were counted:

ENEMY’S SITUATION DANGEROUS* TROOPS PRACTICALLY EXHAUSTED. FREXCH PRAISE BRITISH ALLIES. Press Association Telegram. (Official Message.) WELLINGTON Oct. I-L The Acting Prime Minister has received from the Ministry of Information tlie following summary of the war operations for the week" ended October 12 : It is impossible to keep pace with the good news hourly arriving almost. The most important eventduring the past week was the Br ; - tish triumph on October 8. which forced the enemy to make a ictirement probably extending over the whole front' from St. Quentin to the Argonne. This means the rupturing of the last line of the Hindenburg system, which was the main pivot of the enemy’s defence between tv--

Meuse and tlie sea. The enemy's situation is now dangerous. His troops are much exhausted and his reserves are practically all used up. so that it is no longer possible to make good losses either in men or material, and a general retirement in such circumstances might bring about most important development During the last two months me worst of the British has been most remarkable, both in generalship and fighting morale. The French general staff expressed its warmest admiration of this series of battles as being “models in conception and execution” and “classic examples or military art.” More than SO. Gcrma.-i divisions engaged were defeated J/r the British armies, often repe.itedl.vThe enemy was perpetually surprise! by successive knocks at onrerent points of the line, which fatten-a him from one position after another and finally dealt him a blow from which it will be difficult to recover. British aerial fighting last v >eea raged on the battlefront from Armontieres to St, Quentin. espocia-iiY, between Lille and Cambrai, oyer a bio- network of railways whose vital function it is to connect Valenciennes, Douai and Cambrai. We maintained a practically continuous ottvnsive on all those' points, including Lille station and a minor junction at Aulnoye, where the lino divides to Cologne and Brussels. Specially did our machines - screen the attacking troops,dropping smoito bombs in front of them to Create a curtain, besides also systematically supplying ammunition. Tins . was all due to the splendid work or tie fighting air scouts, who kept rje sky clear of hostile machines so that cue other air services could carry on unmolested. We lost 64- machines, 1 destroyed all enemy machines and drove 'down 33. British airmen were equally successful in with the Belgian army at bieupoxt and Roulers with a concerts attack on the communication sap porting the German lme m Blgnm. On the enemy’s extreme ett tlg Roval Air Force and the Inaepe cnC Air Force also had a most SUtIps blast furnaces at JJui oacK, xv Frescaty. —-